Chair clamp



' Sept. 7, 1954 G. H. TOWNE 2,688,357

CHAIR CLAMP Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES CHAIR CLAMP George H.Towne, Waltham, Mass.

Application June 1'7, 1953, Serial No. 362,269

3 Claims. l

The present invention Arelates to a device for holding adjacent chairsin xed relation in a straight :or curved -row as ina public hall or thelike.

"When chairs, such as folding chairs, are setup in a Vrow `in-.a publichall it is desirable that they be held immovable in the row so as lnotto ybecome disarranged as people move in and out of the seats.

Upito the present time, insofar as the inventor is aware, there has beenno truly satisfactory device for this purpose. The 4devices which havebeen used are awkward to set in position, being either cumbersome tohandle or having many bolts to tighten, and .usually require tools toattach xthem to `the chairs.

The present invention provides a .device which is attached to thelchairs simply ,and quickly and requires no tools .to set it firmly inposition, yet it "will ,h'old the chairs securely until released. Itengages and .holds `two adjacent chairs at three points spaced apart intriangular relation and holds the chairs securely lagainst movementrelative :to each other in any direction.

Further vobjects and .advantages will be apparent from the 4followingdescription of a preferred embodiment andthe accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation showing the vdevice of the present inventionattached to and in position on one chair.

Fig. v2 is a top plan View of the device attached to and in positionbetween two chairs.

Fig. 3 is a prospective View showing the device in position holding twochairs together, parts -of the `.chairs being broken vaway to reveal thedevice more clearly.

Fig. 41s a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of thepresent invention.

.In the drawings the device of the present invention which holds twoadjacent chairs in fixed relation is indicated generally at I0. The twochairs shown in connection with the device `Ill are designated A and Band are one of a variety of l:folding type chairs such as aretemporarily .setup in public halls. The particular type 4andconstruction of .the chairs A and 'B is shown for illustrative purposesonly and it is to be understood that the device I is equally welladapted for use with rigid and folding chairs of varying construction solong as they include or may 4`be adapted to include certainstructuralelements 1to `support .the device IIJ.

In the Jchairs A and B "shown, the Afront legs l-I and back 'legs I2cross andare .pivoted .at 1I3.

A seat I4 is pivoted between upward extensions of the back legs l2 andis supported at the back by links l5 pivoted on vthe seat and on theupward extension of the legs II. Extensions of the lower ends of `thelinks l5 are stopped against a stretcher IB attached between theportions of the front legs II above the pivot points I3 and under theseat. The front legs Il extend above the seat and form the frame of theback of the chair.

The device IIl -of the 4present invention is comprised generally of ahorizontal member 20 and a strut 2| having its lower end pivotally andslidably connected to a horizontal member. The device ill is placedbetween two chairs A and B which are side by side. Both vends of thehorizontal member 20 are forked lto enclose respectively the twoadjacent front legs and the two adjacent back legs of the chairs A and Band the forked ends are supported on stretchers I8 and I9 which arerespectively across the front and back of the chairs. The ends of theforks hook over the stretchers to hold the horizontal member 20 Vinposition.

As shown in Fig." 3, the horizontal member 20 is formed of a single rodbent double to provide two parallel rods 33 and 34 which are held inparallel relation by cross ties 35.

-At the forward end a fork 23 passes inside the front leg II of thechair A and a fork 24 passes inside the front leg I I of the chair B andthe ends of the forks 24 are bent downwardly at 25 and 2B to hook `overthe front of the respective stretchers I8.

At the vback end, the horizontal member l2l) extends back between theadjacent rear legs I2 of the chairs A and B and a generally U-shapedmember 27 attached across the back end forms the fork at that end. Forks28 and 29, whichA are the arms of the U-shaped member 21 `are directedback on the horizontal member and enclose the adjacent rear legs I2 ofthe chairs A and B between them. The `ends of the forks 28 and 29 arebent downwardly at 3| and 32 to hook over the inside of the respectivestretchers I9.

When the device IIJ is put in position the horizontal ymember is droppeddown on the stretchers I8 and I9. The downwardly bent portions 25, 26,3| and 32 hooking over the front `edges of the stretchers I8 and I9.prevent it from sliding backward. The U-shaped member 21 passing aroundthe back of the legs I2 prevents it from sliding forward. Most chairs,both 'rigid and folding, have stretchers ,between the front legs andbetween the back legs on which the horizontal member 20 may be supportedas above. However, if there are no such stretchers, projections or studssecured on the insides of the legs will serve equally as well.

The strut 2| is pivotally and slidably connected to the horizontalmember 2li by having its lower end 30 curled around a cylinder 36. Therods 33 and 34 of the horizontal member pass through holes paralleltransversely through the cylinder so that the cylinder is slidable alongthe rods.

A U-shaped member 38 attached across the strut 2| down from its upperend 31 has arms 3S and 4i) which form two parallel forked portions 4|and 42 with the respective edges of the strut 2 I. When the strut 2| isin position the adjacent upper portions of the legs I under the seats I4of the chairs A and B are enclosed between the arms 39 and 4l] of theU-shaped member 38 and the forked portion 4| encloses the stretcher Iiiof the chair A and the forked portion 42 engages the stretcher I6 of thechair B.

It will be appreciated that the exact chair construction shown is notessential for the described engagement of the upper portion of the Strut2 I. A construction, including members which extend downwardly below theseat, such as the upper portions of the legs I I under the seats, to beenclosed between the arms 39 and 4|) and then extending inwardly, suchas the stretchers I6, to be enclosed by the forked portions 4I and 42would be similarly engaged.

For example, the device lli is used with types of folding chairs whichdo not have a stretcher I6 but have an inwardly directed stud or riveton the inside of the leg at approximately the same position which servesas a stop for a link such as the link |15 or to support the rearward endof the seat.

The strut 2| is made such a length that the forked portions 4| and 42 atits upper end 31 will enclose and rmly engage the stretchers IE when itslower end 30 is in a position on the horizontal member 20 from which itmay be moved in order to draw the forked portions 4I and 42 away fromthe stretchers l5 far enough to be swung clear of them. For example, thestrut 2| is firmly engaged between the stretchers I6 and the horizontalmember 20 when its lower end 30 on the horizontal member which isclosest to the stretchers I6. Thus, when the lower end 30 is slid alongthe horizontal member away from the mid-point, the upper end 31 willdrop out of engagement with the stretchers I6.

As shown in Fig. l, the stretcher I8 at the front of the usual type offolding chair is higher than the stretcher I9 across the back and whenin position the horizontal member 20 will be slanted. Therefore, todisengage the upper end of the strut 2| from the stretchers I6 the lowerend of the strut will be moved most easily toward the rear in thedirection of the arrows C. Conversely, when the lower end of the strutis toward the rear of the horizontal member, the lower end 3G is movedforward in the direction of the arrow D to engage the upper end 31 withthe stretchers I6.

In operation to attach this device IIJ of the present invention to thetwo adjacent chairs A and B to hold them in fixed relation, the strut 2|is pivoted out of the way and the horizontal member 20 inserted betweenthe chairs and dropped down into position enclosing the adjacent legs ofthe chairs and supported on the stretchers I8 and I9. The lower end 30of the strut 2| is slid toward the rearward end of the horizontal member2l). Then the strut is swung toward an upright position and guided intoengagement with the stretchers I6 as its lower end is slid in thedirection of the arrow b. When the upper end 31 of the strut is inengagement with the stretchers, its lower end remains frctionally heldin position on the horizontal member until the lower end is forcefullyslid toward an end of the horizontal member.

The device Ill as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is constructed to holdchairs side-by-side in a. straight line. It will be appreciated,however, that it may be made to hold chairs in a semicirculararrangement by changing the space between the forks at the ends of thehorizontal member 20 and between the forked portions at the upper end ofthe strut 2|.

For example, Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present inventionwhich holds chairs in a semi-circle facing inward. The parallel rodsforming the body of the horizontal member are bowed out at the rearwardend as indicated at` 43 to space the rear legs I2 apart and the centralportion of the U-shaped member 21 is made correspondingly longer. Theforks 23 and 24 at the forward end may be bent toward each other to fitaround the front legs snugly as indicated. The central portion of theU-shaped member 28 across the strut 2| is also lengthened to space thearms 39 and 40 further apart to enclose the upper portions of the legsII.

It is to be understood that the above description is of a preferredembodiment of my invention and that certain variations may be made inthe structure without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

l. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each ofsaid chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, inwardlyextending projections on each of said legs, and a member extendingdownwardly and then inwardly below the seat at each side thereof, saiddevice comprising in combination a horizontal member each end of whichhas portions spaced apart sufficiently to receive between a leg of eachof said two adjacent chairs, said portions being respectively supportedon the inwardly extending projections on the adjacent front and backlegs of said chairs, a strut, and a slidable pivotal connection betweenthe lower end of the strut and the horizontal member, the upper end ofthe strut being provided with two portions spaced apart to receivebetween them the members which extend downwardly below the seats at theadjacent sides of the seats of said `chairsandengage the respectiveinward extensions of said members, said strut being of sufiicient lengthto extend between said horizontal member and said downwardly andinwardly extending members when the lower end of the strut is in oneposition on the horizontal member but not when slid to another position.

2. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each ofsaid chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, inwardlyextending projections on each of said legs, and a member extendingdownwardly and then inwardly below the seat at each side thereof, saiddevice comprising in combination a horizontal member having forked endsin which are respectively enclosed the adjacent front and back legs ofsaid:

two adjacent chairs, the forks of the forked ends being respectivelysupported on the inwardly. ex-

tending projections on the respective legs of said chairs and havingdownwardly turned tips extending down past said projections, a strut,and a slidable pivotal connection between the lower end of the strut andthe horizontal member, the upper end of the `strut being provided withtwo portions spaced apart to receive between them the members whichextend downwardly below the seats at the adjacent sides of the seats ofsaid chairs, said two portions each being forked to engage the inwardlyextending portions of the respective members, said strut being ofsuflicient length to extend between said horizontal member and saiddownwardly and inwardly extending members when the lower end of thestrut is in one position on the horizontal member, but not when slid toanother position.

3. A device for holding two adjacent chairs in fixed relation, each ofsaid chairs having two front legs, two back legs, a seat, a stretcherbetween the pair of front legs and between the pair of back legs, and astretcher under the seat across the chair from side to side, said devicecomprising in combination a horizontal member having forked ends inwhich are respectively enclosed the adjacent front and adjacent backlegs of two adjacent chairs, said forked ends being supported on thestretchers between the front legs and back 'legs of the respectivechairs, a strut, and a slidable pivotal connection between the lower endof the strut 'and the horizontal member, the upper end of the strutbeing provided with two portions spaced apart to receive between themtwo adjacent legs of the two adjacent chairs, said two portions eachbeing forked to enclose the respective stretchers under the seats of thetwo adjacent chairs, said strut being of sufcient length to extendbetween said horizontal member and said stretchers under the seats whenthe lower end of the strut is in one position on the horizontal memberbut not when slid to another position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

